Students, who spoke to WLWT News 5 on the condition of anonymity, said the activity happens more frequently than people talk about.

“I didn't really know that it was that much of an issue until police were at the school every day and everyone was getting questioned,” one junior told WLWT News 5.

Officers said they confiscated eight cellphones from students last month that had videos on them made by a male student who has since been expelled.

"They were pretty, uh, unusual videos," Maupin said.

Maupin declined to describe the contents of the video, but he said police initially became involved in the case after officers were called to the school when that same student was accused of exposing himself to female students.

Investigators then said hundreds of Madeira students and possibly others outside the school had received or circulated images depicting nude female students.

In a separate incident, police said eight to 10 girls took pictures of themselves and shared the photos with other students on cellphones.

In the January case, the student has been charged with a felony count of disseminating sexually explicit material to minors. His attorney says he's not guilty.

Madeira Principal Tom Olson said school officials have been explaining to students that their "digital footprint" lasts forever, and he said they would be meeting with students in small groups over the coming days to discuss the issue.

“I think definitely a lot of students (have) learned a lesson from it,” a student said.